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Reviewed by:
Former Admissions Committee Member, Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine
Reviewed: 7/5/24
RNs have several nursing specialties to choose from. One in-demand specialty is telehealth nursing, which this guide will explore further!
In an increasingly digital age, it’s no surprise that technology has drastically changed the medical field. One such way technology has infiltrated medicine is the creation of telemedicine.
Telemedicine encompasses any care delivered remotely using computers, phones, apps, and other devices.
Telehealth nurses are vital parts of medical care, and this field has become increasingly popular amongst nursing school graduates! To learn more about how to become a telehealth nurse, the duties they perform, and their expected job outlook, read on!
Providing medical care at any level requires a high level of training. While telehealth nurses do not directly deal with patients or treat them, they’re still required to have a thorough understanding of medicine.
Gaining this expertise can take anywhere from three to eight years, depending on the education and experience you pursue. Here are the steps that will influence your timeline to become a telehealth nurse:
Your high school grades will have a major impact on your career trajectory. These grades will directly influence the type of nursing school you get accepted into. As such, you should maintain a high GPA to ensure you have the most opportunity.
As an aspiring nurse, you want to demonstrate your dedication to the field by gaining basic clinical experience while you’re in high school. As a student, it’ll be difficult to gain paid placements working with patients, but you should be able to find volunteer positions at local clinics, hospitals, or shelters.
There are also several medical volunteer brigades that students can join to travel abroad and help patients in developing countries. Aside from gaining volunteer experience, ensure you also participate in useful extracurriculars. These do not have to be medical-related but should involve your passions and hobbies!
While more schools are opting for test-optional application cycles, several nursing schools still require students to take the SAT or ACT to be considered for admission.
Either test will suffice, but it’s imperative that you create a good study plan to help you reach your target score.
There are two degrees you can pursue to become a telehealth nurse. While both degrees give you an RN designation, they offer different benefits.
One of the degrees you can pursue is an Associate’s Degree in Nursing (ADN). While this degree will only take two years to complete and will have lower score requirements, it doesn't hold the same weight as a Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN).
BSNs are the preferred degree for RNs but take double the amount of time to complete. These four-year programs equip nurses with a comprehensive medical foundation and extensive practical training to prepare them for all entry-level nursing careers.
If you’re a student looking for the best BSN classes, our three-minute BSN quiz can help! It guides you to the right classes based on your location, GPA, and test scores (TEAS, ACT, SAT). Pursuing a BSN program not only earns you a degree but also opens doors to a rewarding healthcare career. Take the quiz and find your path to becoming a registered nurse!
Depending on your desired time frame, budget, and career goals, you should pick the degree that best suits your needs. There are many nursing schools without prerequisites, as well as several accelerated programs that allow ADN holders to pursue BSNs in as little as two years.
Once you’ve submitted your applications and received offer letters from your top choices, consider your decision wisely. Research the resources, support, and experiences these schools can offer you so you can make the most informed decision.
Once you’ve accepted an offer, prepare to spend the next two or four years completing a rigorous curriculum to learn the fundamentals of nursing.
By this stage, you’ve received the necessary education to become an RN. The next step is to prove you’ve absorbed this knowledge and can apply it in various situations.
The NCLEX-RN exam will assess four major Client Need categories:
Passing the NCLEX exam is necessary to receive licensing to practice as an independent RN.
Master the NCLEX with our free practice questions. They’ll build your confidence and help you get familiar with the exam's structure for effective preparation. These example questions are designed to help you understand the exam format, identify your strengths, and highlight areas that need improvement.
By practicing with our questions, you’ll boost your confidence and cover various topics, while immediate feedback helps you track your progress. Start today with our NCLEX Practice Question Pop Quiz and get on the path to success!
Most telehealth positions require nurses to have a minimum of one to four years of bedside nursing experience. This experience will make you a more effective telehealth nurse, as you’ll be expected to care for patients without actually touching them!
While there is no specific certification for telehealth nursing, many nurses wishing to pursue this career complete an Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification exam. This exam involves content on telehealth nursing, as it’s integral to ambulatory care.
Nurses planning on receiving this certification must have the following:
Completing this exam is not necessary but can give you an advantage in your job search!
Becoming a telehealth nurse starts with earning a nursing degree and getting your RN license. Additional certifications in telehealth can boost your qualifications. Our nursing school application support services help you get into top programs by refining your NursingCAS application and interview skills. We make sure every part of your application stands out.
Now that we’ve discussed how to become a telehealth nurse, your next inquiry might be what do telehealth nurses do? Broadly, telehealth nurses provide healthcare, education, and administration using telecommunication technologies and electronic channels such as the Internet.
More specifically, they perform the following medical tasks:
Overall, these professionals increase the efficiency of healthcare and ensure medical care is accessible to a broader range of patients. Since they rely on the use of telecommunication channels and devices to perform these tasks, telehealth nurses are able to work remotely—which is typically unheard of in any other nursing specialty!
Since they’re able to work remotely, this job offers a high level of flexibility, which is another draw for nursing students considering this profession!
Considering 90% of healthcare executives say they plan on implementing telehealth programs at their clinics and hospitals, there is an increasing demand for these professionals.
Telehealth nurses make an average of $86,070 a year, but this salary can increase or decrease depending on their location and experience.
For any remaining questions on how to become a certified telehealth nurse, read on to find your answers.
No, being a telehealth nurse is challenging! These nurses must have significant experience treating a range of illnesses and issues to be able to adequately care for patients without direct contact. Telehealth goes against normal healthcare practice, which involves face-to-face interactions and the ability to perform physical assessments.
Accordingly, these nurses must be able to provide the best care they can without performing any direct assessments.
Nurses in telehealth offer a range of medical services related to health promotion, education, and assessment. They use telecommunications devices like computers, apps, and phones and different channels like the Internet to offer more accessible health care to patients.
Of course, you don’t simply want to know how to become a telehealth nurse, you want to know how to become the best telehealth nurse you can!
To provide the most effective care to your patients, you should have the following skills:
It’s important that telehealth nurses also have a high degree of knowledge in nursing. You will be expected to treat diverse patients with a range of issues.
Yes, telehealth nurses are in high demand, especially after the COVID-19 pandemic when people wanted to connect with healthcare professionals without leaving their homes! In fact, at the peak of the pandemic, telehealth use increased 38 times!
After this great increase in telehealth service providers, it was found that patients were more likely to take proactive approaches to their care, patients experienced less financial burden, and patient retention was higher, as telehealth nurses were available around the clock.
Considering this positive feedback, many medical institutions have maintained or increased these services, meaning there is still a high demand for these nurses post-pandemic.
Depending on the degree and job you pursue, it can take anywhere from three to eight years to become a telehealth nurse. You can either complete a two-year ADN and gain at least one year of clinic experience or complete a four-year BSN degree and gain one to four years of experience.
Telehealth nurses are required to have a diverse and experienced resume, so most jobs will require you to have at least two years of bedside experience!
No, there is no official certification in telehealth nursing. While the National Certification Corporation (NCC) used to offer a telehealth certification, it was discontinued in 2007. As an alternative, it is recommended that nurses obtain an Ambulatory Care Nursing Certification through the American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing (AAACN).
This certification involves content on telehealth nursing and is considered to be sufficient to prove nurses have the required knowledge and expertise to provide telehealth services.
Yes, telehealth nurses often work from home. They provide medical advice and care remotely via phone or video calls. Prior clinical experience is usually needed. Both BSN and ADN nurses can qualify for these roles. It's a flexible and convenient way to continue a nursing career.
Technology continues to play a larger role in society as it offers people more convenience and efficiency. The healthcare sector is no exception—telehealth has had a great impact on patient care and is becoming increasingly popular in medical institutions.
By following the steps shared in this guide, you can join this growing profession and be part of a fast-advancing medical field!
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